Little Darling
by dontcomeback
Summary: Everyone needs a bit of Romangst and lovestuffs in their lives, particularly our good friends the Slytherins, featuring Theo and Blaise. Series of Drabbles. Some slash. R&R, for ProductOfSilence / Brianna, xo. M fo' language.
1. Chapter 1

He sat, in a small cardboard box. It had one peephole, rather inconspicuous, in the top left corner. It was extremely stuffy, and his nose was beginning to itch, but still, there he sat. When he saw a spot of green, and black, Blaise launched himself out of the box onto the now extremely harassed looking Slytherin.

"Excessive irritation, thy name is Blaise." Draco drawled. "What do you want?"

Blaise looked put-out for a moment, then mumbled, "I didn't mean to jump on you. I thought you were Theo. It's his birthday today."

The blonde stared incredulously at him. He questioned gingerly, "And so you thought you would give him a nice little gift by hiding in a cardboard box, then flattening him? Well, you'd better hurry up and get back in there, because he's about to turn the corner into this hallway."

Blaise swore softly, and hastily began clambering back into the box. Draco stared for a bit more, shook his head, and left. This time, when Blaise saw a Slytherin robe, he knew it was the right one. He leaped enthusiastically out of the box again, but Theo merely sidestepped the boy on the floor, and continued on his way.

The present laying neglected by the box remained untouched.


	2. Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy knows many things. He knows these things about many people. And one thing that he knows with absolute certainty, was that Theodore Nott was in a very bad mood that morning.

There are things Draco admits he does not know. He is not an all-seeing eye. He does not know why Theodore was feeling so very unpleasant that morning, but he did make a conscious effort to avoid further upsetting him. Theodore can be pretty vicious when he was frustrated.

Millicent Bulstrode does not posses the tact Draco does. He can see her about to open her mouth. He can see her about to say something to Nott. And Draco can very clearly see Theodore's anger will heighten astronomically.

"Hey, Nott, why're you lookin' so down? It's your birthday, innit?" _Millicent Bulstrode is stupid._

As Draco has predicted, Theodore is extremely angry.

"Shut up, broad. I didn't say you could talk," he begins. Livid, Theodore stands, and walks away.

Draco knows that for at least two weeks, Daphne Greengrass will not speak a word to Millicent Bullstrode.


	3. Chapter 3

Theodore did not like birthdays, and he did not like Millicent Bullstrode. He liked Blaise, but he was really not okay with Blaise trying to turn him into a doormat. What Theo liked, was rain, and running. He was very okay with running, in the rain. Theodore's favourite season is the fall, because it is cold, and fresh, and crisp, and everything dies, to be reborn in the spring.

The air by the lake was chilled, and the ground slippery. Theodore was glad his birthday was in October, it was his favourite month of the year. He sat on one of those rocks so conveniently found whenever one was in need of a perch. Panting, he raised his hand to shield against the sun.

_How deceiving. The sun appears to be giving us warmth, but it's left us with a bleak, raw cold day. Just the way I like it. _

Blaise liked red. Red did look so dashing upon his chocolatey skin. Blaise especially loved redheads, hair splashed across his chest, rising and falling with his breaths. Ginny kissed his chest softly. _My, she's got unbelievably touchable hair. _

Theodore left Blaise a cinnamon roll on his bed stand, as he had everyday since they were seven.

Ginny knocked the table on her way out, and the freshly baked roll fell glaze side down onto the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

Blaise coughed, and curled up under his covers. Even though his chest was congested and his nose was stuffy, he began to sing.

"I am in misery; ain't nobody gonna comfort me," Blaise wailed. "Man, those Maroon 5 guys sure had the right idea."

Draco and Theodore sat up, looking supremely unimpressed.

"Blaise, it is four in the morning. I do not care how unwell you are, and I do not care how spiritually connected you feel with Muggle indie rockers. Go away." Draco then nuzzled back under his covers and promptly fell back asleep.

Theodore peered quietly at Blaise for a second.

"Shut up, Zabini. I told you that Weasley slag was sick, it's your own fault," Theodore frowned.

Blaise looked down, and hid back under his covers. Theodore flipped his pillow over to get to the cold side, and sang along.

_Why won't you answer me? The silence is slowly killing me. _


	5. Chapter 5

"One kiss, Blaise. Just one." Blaise looked Theo in the eye.

"No," he firmly stated. Blaise grabbed his friend by the shoulders and set him back on his bed.

"But, Zabiiiiini. You promised," Theo whined. He flopped onto his side. "You promised this time We pinky swore. You crossed your heart and hoped to die, even."

Blaise sighed, and looked away. He walked onto his own bed and hid under the covers. Theodore smiled, and sneaked out of bed.

He crawled under Blaise's covers, quiet like a mouse, and began to nibble on Blaise's ear.

"WHO THE HELL IS NIBBLING MY EAR!" Blaise demanded.

"Just because you hid, doesn't mean I can't find you, you know." Theo whispered.

"You can't kiss me, Theo. I can't kiss you either, so don't ask." Blaise told him.

"Of course you can, Blaisey. Easy as pie, just like this." And Theo kissed Blaise, quick. Draco rolled over and groaned, shoving his head under his rather flat Hogwarts pillow.

"Merlin, you two are the queerest kids I know."


	6. Chapter 6

Harry walked silently along the corridor, hands in his pockets. He wondered why Hermione wasn't speaking to him. Was it because he hadn't eaten breakfast yesterday morning? It was a silly reason, but it seemed like the kind of thing Hermione might do. She worried about him and Ron a lot, but he wasn't quite certain why.

Harry sighed, and walked outside, savouring the feeling of chilled air in his lungs. Blowing out a breath of mist, he reached into his pocket for a smoke, but could not find a light.

Silently, Draco came from behind him, and handed him a match. They sat, side-by-side, on yet another conveniently found perch by the lake, smoking in the cold winter air. The boys finished, put out their cigarettes and strolled away.


	7. Chapter 7

Theodore was staring at Blaise. Draco was staring at Blaise. In fact, most of the Slytherin table was staring at Blaise; and so were some nearby Ravenclaws.

It must hereby be noted, that they were not gazing so readily at our friend Mr. Zabini because of his astounding facial features, nor his excellent charm. They were staring, because Blaise's mother had sent him a letter. Of course, if he was looking their way, everyone pretended not to be staring, but very interested in their luncheon meal.

Perhaps if you attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and your parent(s) sent you letters, your peers might not have been as curious. However, it was always an event to be beheld, when Ms. Zabini sent her son letters, because it specified that she had broken up with yet another lover.

"She's sent me the ring again," Blaise exclaimed proudly. "I think I'll go and thread this on my necklace." He stood up and left the table, then cheerily crossed the Great Hall.

Draco shook his head. "She sends him the jewelry every time. He keeps them, tidily arranged on a necklace. Keepsakes, the Zabini's call them."

Theodore laughed, an echoing, hollow laugh. It was cold, like bones in the frost. He smiled, and looked through a window at Blaise, happily trudging through the snow.


	8. Chapter 8

If you have never seen a chair cover at Hogwarts before, it is really quite an experience. Pansy Parkinson notices this as she sits in Potions class.

"You know, you'd think in such a welfare school, the chair covers would probably look something like regurgitated salad. These are actually quite nice, they've embroidered edges, and everything." Gently, she touches a pleat on the edge of her chair seat. It is soft, and reminds her of when she was little; her mother would give her hot cocoa while she watched the soft snow through the window.

"Please, Ms. Parkinson. Your potion is about to boil over," Snape sighed, slinking by.

Instead of attending to her assignment, which she saw as her partner's job anyway (that would be, Pavarti Patil), she turned to Terence Higgs.

"Tery, who do you think you're going to spend this Christmas with?" she asked.

Terence pondered a moment or so, and replied, "I think I'll spend some time with Adrian Pucey. And you?"

Pansy looked at her chair cover again. Her fingers gripped it tightly, and she bit her lip.

"I wanted to see Draco, but he's going to be too busy chasing after Nott to have any time for me. I don't know what he sees in the boy, Theo's always got his head up in the clouds. If it weren't for his malicious moods, he really should have been in Ravenclaw." Terence nodded.

"And what a fool Draco is, to think that he and Theodore could be in love. Malfoy's barely got enough heart to keep his blood pumping. And as for Nott, I think he survives off of pure spite."


	9. Chapter 9

Blaise shook Theo awake, excited.

"Darling, look at the world! It's covered in snow, for us to frolic in, hurry! Run, grab your things."

Theodore's heart rushed, he jumped out of bed.

"Wait up, Blaise, if you don't slow down, I'll never catch up," he laughed. Blaise stopped dead, and looked over his shoulder.

"Well, it won't be any fun alone, hurry up, would you?" Blaise returned. He stood rocking on his heels, impatient as always.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Quiet down, Malfoy'll throw a fit if you wake him up at this hour; it's only five." Theodore hushed, as he pulled on his boots.

The boys ran out into the halls, and up to the Entrance Hall. Mrs. Norris was prowling around, looking for ruffians and rule-breakers, but she couldn't lay a thing on our little lovebirds on that fine morning.

They romped, they frisked, they larked about. Theodore fell on his back, a rare smile sliding over his usually sullen expression. _Today is the best day of my life. _He reached for Zabini, to tell him so, but as soon as his fingers touched skin, Blaise cried out. Grabbing his arm tenderly with a wounded expression, he ran.

"Hold on! Blaise, what's wrong? Why are you running, will you just-" Theo caught up to Blaise, and jerked him back by the shoulder. "What are you doing? We're supposed to be frolicking." He spoke softly, with a tinge of disappointment. He wasn't sure what he'd done but now his heart was all a-flutter.

Theodore stepped forward and hugged Blaise, but what's this? He stepped away in horror- everywhere he touched Blaise, little bits broke off. Theo tried very hard to fix his love, to piece him back together. The more he touched, the more Blaise broke.

At last, Theodore Nott was left sitting in a puddle of his tears, his broken dreams, and little portions of his heart, settled in the snow.

Theodore woke, gasping, tears running down his face. He clutched at the blankets, shaking his head. He stumbled out of bed, and ran to Blaise's bed. Theo nearly passed out with relief when he was greeted with a sleepy smile from his favourite Hogwarts wizard.


	10. Chapter 10

Daphne Greengrass pushed Millicent into a wall.

"I cannot believe you would do that. Why would you even go and talk to Theo. You know that I love him, and you can't have, so maybe you're just jealous, hmm?"

Passing by, Crabbe and Draco snickered, "Well, we can't go letting you have Theodore all to yourself, now can we, Greengrass."

She whirled around, malice flitting across a delicately boned face, white as snow.

"What the fuck are you laughing at, you little bitches? Oh, excuse me, only Malfoy's a little bitch, Crabbe you're the biggest lardass I know. So up yours, you fucking queers," the girl seethed.

Malfoy turned, smirking his best smirk.

"Now, Daph, language. Vulgar words won't make you anymore appealing to Nott."

And here he burst out laughing, because suddenly, Draco remembered something about Theodore. One of his favourite things, in fact.

"And do be careful who you're running your mouth at, Theodore's the gayest kid you'll ever meet. I don't think Dumbledore could compete with him," Draco slid. Watching Daphne's eyes widen, he took his leave, snapping his fingers at Crabbe.

"Come on, pet. Let's go make fun of Granger in Potions."

Fifty feet down the hall, Draco turned the corner, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see now it was Daphne against a wall, crying for all she was worth.

"He's not a faggot, Malfoy! You're a liar, and you'll burn in Hell for it!" she called- in vain. Draco 'd been there, and he was halfway back.


	11. Chapter 11

Ron sniffled, and rubbed his left eye.

"Ron, stop touching your face! Whatever is wrong, you're only going to make it worse. Do you have any idea how many germs are on your hands!" Hermione lectured, grabbing his hand away, and immediately releasing it.

"RONALD! That's **disgusting!** When is the last time you washed your hands?" she yelped.

"This morning, I think. I don't know, why? I've already got one mum, she's bad enough, 'Mione," Ron replied peevishly.

He stomped away, to wash his hands, just to shut Hermione up.

His nose dripping, Ron furiously scrubbed his hands in the sink. _Disgusting, I'll show her. _While thoroughly scouring his hands, Ron heard a gasping, drowned noise from the third stall to the left.

_Funny, doesn't Myrtle usually haunt the girl's rooms?Ugh, she's so nettlesome. _

"Get out of here, nobody cares, alright. Go mourn in the girl's room or something," Ron humphed. The stall door slammed open, and Theodore stormed out, looking viciously livid.

"You fucking Weasleys, I'm gonna slaughter your whole family one day. I suppose it wouldn't take more than four seconds, considering the size of your house. First your skanky-ass sister, fucking with my boyfriend. And you, you wanna know something? Your precious Hermy, she's shagged Draco at least four times. So you just shut the fuck up." he hissed, wiping his face dry with an angry movement.

Ronald stood stunned, the sink still running cold water over his now pristine hands.

He called down the hallway, "I'm sorry! I thought you were Moaning Myrtle, I didn't know..."

_I didn't know Slytherins could cry. _


	12. Chapter 12

There was a steady sleet coming in sideways, and it pelted a steady beat against the greenhouses. Justin Finch-Fletchly steadily potted carnivorous plants, and gazed mildly out the window to watch the rain. Abruptly, somebody bumped into him, causing his pot of soil to tumble over. He whirled about, highly indignant.

"Excuse me, could you please watch where you're going. You've made me to tip over my dirt," he said waspishly.

"Bloody fucken' hell, Finch-Fletchly. Keep your nose where it belongs, up a teacher's ass. And that's not dirt, it's soil," Draco told him as he stalked away on those long legs of his.

Miffed, Justin stuck said nose loftily and began to scoop the dir- SOIL! back into his pot..

"Don't listen to him," Theodore sighed moodily from the table across. "He's just feeling somewhat malicious, because he thinks he loves me. He's infatuated, and in love with the concept of me. Draco couldn't love me, nobody could.

" The Slytherins know, though, we always know. We know who he loves, even if he doesn't. There's a reason everyone calls Draco a pansy."


	13. Chapter 13

Theodore felt the liquid hit the back of his throat, and sat up, coughing. He let out a groan and threw away the glass. It landed somewhere he couldn't see, so the Slytherin just groaned again and let his head drop back into the snow. His eyelid half open, the boy's eyelashes spotted his vision, and Theo slid from consciousness.

He can never escape the feeling of drowning when he wakes up. Theodore chokes for air, for something familiar, something strange. His eyes leapt open, and Theo realizes he is blue from cold. While he was gone, it had snowed again, and Hogwarts once more sat clothed in virgin white.

Stark contrast to the pale blank of the school, Blaise crouched in front of Theodore.

"What the fuck you doing here, Zabini?" grumbled Theo, when he realized who had roused him from slumber. "Shouldn't you be with your _girlfriend? _It's Saturday. "

"You're talking, everyone's wondering where you're at. Disappear right after the Quidditch game, and we won, too. Also, Ginny's not my girlfriend, just a gutterfuck. What were you thinking, Nott? You could have froze to death," Blaise declared.

"Well, I was just wallowing in my desolate sorrow, but it's alright now that you've shown up," Theodore smirked. Blaise punched him hard on the arm, scowling, and stood.

"Quit your dicking around, Theo. It's cold, let's go back."

Nott inhaled sharply, letting the frosty air nip his nose.

"How about you carry me, love? I'm far too cold to walk proper," Theo chimed. Blaise sighed, and leant down to scoop up the thin, ascetic frame of his friend. Nicely settled in warm arms, Theo lightly bit down on the crook of Blaise's neck.

"You're a vamp, Nott. Bite me again, and I'll throw you in the lake," warned Blaise.

Giving a light laugh, Theodore resorted to licking and kissing instead.


	14. Chapter 14

Theodore stared, astonished, at his roommate. It was a feeling rather new to Theodore, astonishment. He made it his business to know what everyone else was up to, this way things would not take him by surprise.

Blaise glanced at him irritably. "It's not that big a deal, Nott. Shut your mouth, something's going to fly into it."

Theo continued to stare, albeit with his mouth shut this time.

"How..? It is a big deal, Zabini. This doesn't even compute. My brain cannot process this, who, where, I.. How," he spluttered, blinking confusedly.

Blaise sighed, annoyed. He continued to write his Charms essay, studiously ignoring the discombobulated Nott.

"I demand an explanation, Zabini! You're going to explain this, and you're going to explain it thoroughly! Blaise!"

Blaise whirled around in his seat, splattering ink drops all over the wall. He gave his sometimes-friend the abso-bloody-lutely most terrifying, vicious, hateful expression he could muster. He detested Theodore sometimes.

"I fucked a Japanese girl, okay? We went on vacation to Tokyo, and I met this girl named Oko, and we would meet up and she'd teach me Japanese. And in return I'd bang her until she couldn't walk. Satisfied?" He turned back around, and glared at the ink on the wall, then set about furiously scribbling through his assignment.

Theodore glared at the floor, instead of the wall.

"I'll teach you French if you like, and you can fuck me 'till I can't stand," he whispered to himself.


	15. Chapter 15

Draco lay sprawled across a common room couch, telling tales of grandeur and accomplishment. Harry Potter must die, was his life motto, it seemed.

"Of course, the most important thing is that I always win. I admit, he has pulled a few good ones over on me, but only to be expected. I mean, if he wasn't a worthy opponent, there would be no point opposing him," he drawled. Murmurs of agreement spread sloppily over the room, like too many boats in not enough water.

"I wish I were as clever and witty as you, Drakie," Pansy crooned, as she pressed a grape against the boy's thin lips.

"Course you do, lamb. Everyone wants to be me, my life only involves the best. Except when I'm giving those Mudbloods and blood traitors exactly what they deserve," he winked at her, taking the grape delicately in his mouth. His pale(r than usual), ascetic face, and frame betrayed the untruth behind his words. If Draco Malfoy's life was a walk in the park, his park is frosty and rough, with uneven grass. Dead birds in their nest, still midsong, startled into death by the speed of winter's coming.


	16. Chapter 16

Theodore and Blaise were of the watching variety, they observed from a distance and went about their business in the background. Draco was upfront about what he was going to get, because he had the means. Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle of the following breed- they depended on others for power. They each had their own method, but in the end, what Slytherin wants, Slytherin gets.

The term 'want' is used here loosely. They were taught all their lives growing up that want is a mortal emotion, as is love, sympathy and grief. These feelings limit you, hold you captive until it damn well pleases. None of them had ever wanted for anything for anything in their lives.

They had been sorted into Slytherin house because young as they were, these people knew what was important: themselves, and that's who their loyalty was to.


	17. Chapter 17

Draco sneered at Harry, a fag dangling nonchalant from his soft lips. Draco was so opposite to him it was nearly amusing. The boy was the very picture of imperfection- his hair ruffled, his clothes unmatched. It was rather attractive, to be honest.

"Really Potter, we have got to stop meeting at these crummy Muggle coffee bars, why can't we go to an actual wizarding restaurant or something?"he crossed his arms and looked away.

"Starbucks is nice, they have good holiday drinks," the dark hair boy retorted, taking a sip of his mocha. "Besides, don't you think someone might recognize us? We're the two most distinctive boys in wizarding Britain."

Draco harrumphed, uncrossed his arms and crossed them again for lack of somewhere better to put them. He decided on taking a taste of his own latte.

"Well I suppose you're right. They do make coffee better than Hogwarts elves. Nothing compares to Italian, though," he sighed. They commenced mapping out the next two weeks worth of drama-rama, fistfights and name calling. As Draco got up to leave, he tossed his unfinished beverage into the trash.

"It does seem rather cruel to me sometimes, the way we play our housemates like cards. However, no publicity is bad publicity," he exhaled, watching his breath rise up

"Beauty in all it's forms, my friend. Beauty in all it's forms." Harry turned, flicked his cigarette onto the ground, and walked away.


	18. Chapter 18

Draco and Blaise sat impatient on their bathroom counter, waiting for Theodore to walk in. Draco drummed his fingers, and Blaise was swinging his legs. Suddenly, he slid off the countertop, and ran into the dorm. Grabbing Theo by the wrist, the darker boy threw him in the bathroom and shoved a pile of clothing in his arms. Draco walked out calmly, looking unperturbed by the startled boy in the bathroom.

"Get dressed, Theo. We're going out tonight," Blaise called from his bed.

"Who's we? Where and why?" came drifting into the room, muffled by the door.

"Just the three of us, we're the only good looking boys in this house. And why not? I feel like making some lady friends and having a romp," Draco spoke. He was looking himself over in the mirror when Theodore came out of the bathroom. He beckoned with a finger without looking in Nott's direction, and the two boys stood together at the mirror, Draco's arm around Theo. Blaise mutely got up from his bed and slung his own arm around Theodore's waist too.

Oh, what a sight did the three of them make. Tall, dark, and handsome standing in a line. One was pale, one was not and one had a dash of both. Denim with dress shirts just open enough to show a flash of skin, hair mussed just so.

"I don't quite look like the two of you, do I?" Theo said softly after a moment's silence.

"Oh, darling. Don't kid yourself. No one looks like the two of them," the mirror chimed, and then it was quiet, and the room fell back into silence.


	19. Chapter 19

Blaise awoke Christmas morning screaming. Someone was punching the bathroom door and yelling, someone else was yelling back and his head was just filled with a big clusterfuck of pain and noise.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, it's like five thirty in the sodding morning, I am immensely hung over and you know it, no, what is this" he screeched. He leaned over the side of his bed and threw up on the floor.

Draco was crying into his pillow. His fine blond hair was sticking up and his bare back peeking out of his sheets. Blaise paused in his misery for a moment and appreciated the sight. However, reality and his hangover hit him in the face and the boy threw up on the floor again.

"Why is this happening to me, I don't understand," Draco wailed and hid under his damp pillow.

Wrinkling his nose at the pool of vomit on his bedroom floor, Blaise groped around for his wand and cleaned up his mess. He looked across the room at Theodore sitting up naked in his bed, sheets tangled around his body, a pair of tight red panties pulled over one eye.

"WHAT THE FUCK GOYLE," Theodore screamed, stumbling out of bed. He latched his hands onto Gregory's throat, knocking him onto the floor- not caring that he still had some bint's panties on his face, not caring that he was still naked. Theo was trying his damned best to strangle Goyle until his throat combusted.

Draco was still sobbing with his pillow over his head, so Blaise staggered out of bed with his wand in hand towards the bathroom.

"_Alohomora_, bitch!" he snarled at the doorknob, and swung open the door to find Vincent rinsing his face of foaming cleanser. Blaise narrowed his eyes as the other boy turned in surprise and decked him neat in the eye. Crabbe lay still with his paunchy face still wet, the flesh around his eye blossoming into a bruise as Blaise watched.

He stood over his roommate knocked out on the floor, and listened to the chaos surrounding him- Theo still trying to murder Goyle, Draco still weeping under his blanket.

Blaise walked into the common room naked and poured himself a fucking whiskey.


	20. Chapter 20

Pansy leaned against Draco's headboard and sighed. She tilted back her head and counted the cracks in the ceiling again, even though she knew there were 24.

"Draco, we do this every time, and it's exactly the same thing every time, too. Why can't we just skip this-"she said crossly.

Draco cut her off, "No, Pans. No, you always want to go together, well if you're going to be my date, every thing we wear has to coordinate. If your panties are purple, mine have to be blue or pink. If you have a problem, don't ask me to be your date, wear different colour underwear, or shut your trap."

She crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes. He was so girly about it.

"Don't think just because I'm not facing you that I can't see you roll your eyes at me," Draco called from the depths of his closet. Pansy froze mid hair-toss.

"Like it even matters, nobody is going to see our panties except you and me," she retorted.

"You and I, Pansy, you and I. Learn grammar, use it well. And, are you joking? We're going out bar hopping in Muggle London, honey trust me, you and I are not going to be the only one seeing our fun bits," the blonde snapped. Pansy grinned and threw her panties at his face, giggling.

"Why are you getting all dolled up in fancy clothes just so I can take them off later?"

Two hours later, they emerged from the dorm at odds, but well dressed.

Daphne sighed, and looked pointedly at the clock, raising her eyebrows. Draco shrugged and stepped into the fireplace, throwing in a handful of Floo powder. Stretching lazily, the rest of the gang lined up behind him.

"King's Cross."

"King's Cross."

"King's Cross."

"King's Cross."

"King's Cross."

"King's Cross."

"King's Cross."

Only Theodore was left, standing in front of a green fireplace, looking at the clock: 11:59.

"King's Cross," and he stepped into the whirling flames, feeling the tickle as they licked up his body.

He tripped as he got out of the fireplace at the station, and landed hard on his knees, just in front of Blaise (gyrating like a rap video extra, and didn't seem to notice), and heard the clock chime 12:00.

It seemed like a good way to start off 1997 if you asked Theo.


	21. Chapter 21

Blaise leaned against his headboard and sighed. He tilted back his head and counted the cracks in the ceiling again, even though he knew there were 24. He contemplated studying his Potions homework, but didn't feel like doing it. His gaze flicked to the clock- it read 3:44 am. Sighing again, he twiddled his thumbs, hoping the boys would come home soon. Blaise didn't particularly care for any of the girls, and his mind suddenly thought back to a fallout with Ginny in front of the Gryffindor common room.

"_You don't love me, Blaise, we both know it. Never have, never will. So don't pretend, for my sake," she threw at him, slamming the painting. The accusation in her voice stung, but Blaise couldn't bring himself to chase after her; he really _wasn't_ that into her. It was kind of difficult if he kept thinking of Theodore. _

Just the thought irked him, that stupid Nott with his charm and wit. He really was a fetching young man, Blaise realized. Abruptly, he heard a clunk in the common room. He rapidly dashed under his covers , feigning sleep.

Theodore stumbled into the room,and clumsily made his way to Blaise's bed. Shaking him clumsily, Theodore whispered, "Blaisey, wake up. Blaise,wake up please. I need your help." Rolling over, Blaise looked Theo solemnly in the eyes. Theodore proceeded to clamber his way onto Blaise's tummy.

"Kiss me, Blaisey," he told him, and Blaise complied. Theodore pulled away softly after a moment, an easy smile charming his features.

"You know somebody could waltz in at any given moment," Blaise licked his way up Theodore's neck.

"I am very drunk, and so horny I can't remember the alphabet. What you just told me is only making me harder," the Slytherin laughed as he toyed with a nipple, making Blaise gasp. "I am going to fuck you until you actually pass out."


	22. Chapter 22

Theodore shivered, sliding his hands between his crossed legs, hoping it might warm the freezing digits. He exhaled slowly, watching his breath rise through the air. Shaking his fingers out, he rested the tips lightly on the keys, pausing slightly to relish in the feel of the cold. Theodore smiled, a quick laugh escaping his icy lips- he was excited, he hadn't played in so long. Knowing he played better with his eyes shut, Theo let the years of piano guide his hands. He didn't hear Blaise scrambling his way through the piles of rubble, nor did he notice when the other boy sat down next to him on the bench. He simply continued to play, the music resonating over the water. Blaise was disappointed when the clever, nimble fingers stopped their flitting over the wooden keys.

"Ace," Blaise breathed in awe as the piece finished. "I didn't know you played so well, Nott."

Theo looked shyly over at his friend. Their hands wound softly together, the colours salient against each other.

"We match the keys, Blaisey," whispered Theo, his head on his darling's shoulder, as he ran his thumb ever so lightly over Blaise's hand.

"Very funny, ass-hole. I think you might actually have frostbite. Why in Merlin's name would you choose to bring a piano into the Chamber of Secrets mid-January?" He pulled the shaking Nott into his arms, giving a quick kiss to his temple.

"I miss France. And my mom," Theo glanced upwards at Blaise's raised eyebrows. "Also, I thought you might appreciate the clich_é_."


	23. Chapter 23

Theo drummed his fingers on the tabletop, watching Blaise's hands flying through the air. The Great Hall was almost empty, and the only people remaining at the Slytherin table were Blaise, Theodore, Crabbe, and some gossiping fourth-years.

"Are you going to finish that, trick?" Theo lazily flicked a wrist at the half-eaten strudel languishing on Zabini's cluttered plate.

Blaise shook his head no, and immediately, a thin hand darted across the wooden surface of the table, and retrieved the pastry for his own.

A muttered "Fat-ass," was thrown at the pale teenager wolfing down his boyfriend's excess breakfast.

"I am not! Zabini, you take that back!" Theodore scoffed indignantly, setting his pumpkin juice on the table with a careless thump. The juice sloshed out of his glass onto Crabbe's plate, much to his chagrin.

"Yeah, you are, Theo. You've had more food than I have." Crabbe pointed out, drying his food with a muttered spell.

"Jesus, Nott, you're a skinny white kid, where the hell do you put it all," Blaise laughed with his mouth full of eggs Benedict.

"Fuck you two, I'm beautiful!" the Slytherin declared.

* * *

So sorry for the wait!


	24. Chapter 24

Theodore lay still in bed for a moment when he woke up. _Maybe if I don't open my eyes, I can go back to sleep forever. _But the sun slipped through the water, down past the murkiness, and into the dorm window. He couldn't sleep with the light nudging at his eyelids so. The boy slowly sat up, rubbing his eye.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Draco stood tall at the window in silky boxers, slim body silhouetted by the eerie sunlight. He stood facing the window, hands on the back of his neck. Draco's white blond hair was bright with the light. A pale cigarette was held poised between two thin fingers, a thread of smoke trailing towards the ceiling.

"What time is it?" Theo whispered, staring at the floor.

"Just before five. The sun's rising," the other boy responded. A slight thud resonated throughout the room, as Theodore's stockinged feet tread across the cold floor.

"Where is everyone, Draco?" Theodore looked innocuously up into frosty blue-gray eyes.

"Look around you, Nott. They're sleeping. We're all right here," the boy frowned. Theo merely set his eyes back on the floor. The two boys stood watching the sun rise through the lake without so much as a noise. The blond's attention was drawn as Theodore gently slid the cigarette through Draco's fingers into his own, taking a drag. He watched as Theo let the smoke drift out of his mouth and pulled it into his nose before finally letting it float towards the ceiling.

Draco leaned forward. The boys kissed softly. They shotgunned a drag of Draco's cigarette. Theodore's eyelashes fluttered open. He froze.

"I'm so sorry," was all he managed before he ran out of the room still in pajama shorts. Draco stood quiet at the window, wearing just his dark boxers. Blaise sat in bed, hair ruffled. He stood and just looked at Draco, before walking out of the room.

The blonde stood with his cigarette by the window, listening to Crabbe snore. It was a sound he had grown up with, a comforting sound. It wasn't quite as relaxing as usual that morning, and the sunlight flickered thinly from the window.


End file.
